Cano and dad team up to win Home Run Derby

July 11, 2011

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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American League All-Star Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees hugs his father Jose after winning the 2011 Home Run Derby on Monday at Chase Field in Phoenix. Cano won with a recond 12 home runs in the final round. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

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Cano celebrates after winning the MLB Home Run Derby. DAVID J. PHILLIP, AP

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American League's Adrian Gonzalez, left, of the Boston Red Sox jokes with teammate David Ortiz during the second round of the MLB Home Run Derby. DAVID J. PHILLIP, AP

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Gonzalez of the Red Sox swings in the first round. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

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Gonzalez in the second round. JEFF GROSS, GETTY IMAGES

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Fans hold up baseballs from a pool beyond the outfield fence at Chase Field during the MLB Home Run Derby. ROSS D. FRANKLIN, AP

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Cano in the first round. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

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Cano reacts after a home run during the second round. DAVID J. PHILLIP, AP

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National League All-Star Rickie Weeks of the Milwaukee Brewers participates in the first round Monday. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

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Mascots line up in the outfield Monday during batting practice for the MLB All-Star game in Phoenix. ROSS D. FRANKLIN, AP

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American League All-Star David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox -- in the first round. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

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American League All-Stars Alexi Ogando of the Texas Rangers and Robinson Cano of the Yankees react during the Home Run Derby. JEFF GROSS, GETTY IMAGES

American League All-Star Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees hugs his father Jose after winning the 2011 Home Run Derby on Monday at Chase Field in Phoenix. Cano won with a recond 12 home runs in the final round.CHRISTIAN PETERSEN, GETTY IMAGES

When Robinson Cano's father, Jose, suggested that he might be the best choice to pitch to his son in this year's All-Star Home Run Derby, Robinson had mixed feelings.

"At first, I told him, 'Hey, that's a great idea,'" Robinson Cano said. "But I didn't want him to be nervous."

No nerves were evident as the father-son team combined for 32 home runs, including a record 12 as the Yankees second baseman beat Adrian Gonzalez in the final round, to claim this year's championship at Chase Field.

"That was a great, great feeling," Cano said of clearing the fence with his last swing to break a tie with his Red Sox rival. "It's like when you hit a base hit in the last inning to win the game. You get excited."

In choosing his father as his Derby partner, Cano was choosing a former professional pitcher. Jose Cano pitched in the Houston Astros minor league system during the late 1980s. He made it to the majors for six games during the 1989 season, giving up just two home runs in 23 innings.

"It was unbelievable," Jose Cano said of teaming with his son on the big All-Star stage.

If the Canos were immune to nerves, the same was not true of everyone in the Derby field. Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks, booed lustily by Diamondbacks fans because Derby captain Prince Fielder had chosen him over local favorite Justin Upton, and Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp were early victims of the pressure to perform.

"It's harder than it looks, man, definitely," said Kemp who finished last with just two home runs in the first round. "I don't feel so bad, though. Frank Thomas told me he only hit three his first time. Mike Piazza had zero.

"So I'm only one behind Big Hurt. That's not too bad."

Fielder hit the longest home run of the Derby (474 feet) but Cano was right behind with two 472-footers including one off the Diamond Club sign above the pool in right-center field.

"That was an unbelievable show out there –—a lot of bombs," last year's winner and this year's AL captain David Ortiz said.

DODGERS DRAMA

Dodger All-Stars Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Andre Ethier were inevitably asked about the team's financial problems with owner Frank McCourt in bankruptcy court and struggling to make payroll each month.

"Well, it's good to get your money. I've got family. I've got a house to pay for, bills to pay," Kemp said jokingly.

But all insisted McCourt's problems have not been a distraction for the team.

"I don't follow what's going on, but I know all about it because you guys (reporters) are always coming and telling me," Kemp said. "It's definitely not a distraction. You can only control what you can control. Hopefully, that situation can get handled ASAP and we can move on."

In the meantime, Dodgers attendance has suffered from both the McCourt drama and the team's poor performance in the first half.

Ethier said he still gets stopped by fans who want to talk Dodgers baseball "so the interest is still there" and he doesn't see MLB allowing the franchise to continue to wallow in its embarrassing problems much longer.

"L.A. is still an unbelievable place to play and it's going to stay that way," Ethier said. "Obviously, we're having a hiccup with these things going on this season.

"It has to get better just for the fact that baseball can't allow a major team like the Dodgers to become irrelevant or be this big black eye. So it's going to get better. Obviously, it's not going to happen next week or next month, but maybe by the offseason or next season things will get resolved."

CLOSE IT OUT

Don't look for Angels rookie Jordan Walden to close out Tuesday's game. AL manager Ron Washington said he added Tigers closer Jose Valverde to the roster to have a veteran available to close it out with Mariano Rivera not on the team.

"There's quite a few first-timers, quite a few young arms in the American League that are in the back of the bullpen," Washington said. "Without Mariano there, I wanted to make sure that I have a veteran that can handle whatever pressures that the game may offer.

"That's why I chose Valverde. So I protected myself in that way. ... Youth is taking the American League by storm and there are a lot of first-timers. I want to win bad, and I just want to make sure that I have someone that can withstand whatever heat is applied."

There are a record 35 first-time All-Stars on the two rosters this year including 11 in the AL bullpen: Walden, Aaron Crow (Royals), Gio Gonzalez (A's), Brandon League and Michael Pineda (Mariners), Alexi Ogando and C.J. Wilson (Rangers), Chris Perez (Indians), David Robertson (Yankees), Ricky Romero (Blue Jays) and James Shields (Rays).

Walden has no problem with Washington's stance.

"No, I just want to get in there and have a good inning, throw up a zero," Walden said. "I'm a rookie. I'm just paying my dues. If I get to pitch the third or fourth (inning) or whenever is OK with me."

PROUD PAPA

Sitting in the audience at Monday's All-Star news conference was another proud father. Dave Weaver, Jered's father, was there as his son was officially announced as the American League's starting pitcher tonight.

"This is unbelievable," Dave Weaver said. "I have a bucket list of things I'd like to see and the World Series was one. I got it when I never expected it (Jered's older brother, Jeff, joined the Cardinals in 2006 and won a World Series title with them).

"The All-Star Game is another one and I got to see Jered there last year. Now this year, we're going to get to see him start the game. It's just unbelievable."

TICKET REQUESTS

Howie Kendrick had a unique challenge as a first-time All-Star — how to satisfy all his friends and family members.

Kendrick lives in Arizona during the offseason and his wife has many relatives in the Phoenix area.

"I was able to get tickets for everybody," Kendrick said. "I think we've got it covered. The other thing is going to be getting enough T-shirts for everybody. That's going to be hard."

But Kendrick said being able to share his first All-Star experience "with the people that I love" — such as 2-year-old son Owen, who sat on the field with him for Monday's Home Run Derby — is making the event special.

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